Becca averted her eyes from behind her, dragging her lethargic gaze to the river flowing beneath the bridge her body was positioned on. Rocks littered the ground below the water, their tips poking out, inviting Becca down for a ride on the death train. Her nose dripped, the fluids running down her philtrum and disappearing between her cracked lips. Her blue eyes were cracked, tears leaking from their core as her stomach churned with utter fear. Below her was the solution to her hurting. She couldn't take the physical ache of her heart for one more moment. It pulsed violently against her chest, threatening to tear through her at any moment and she was done.

Becca Mitchell was done.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as she drew in a deep, sharp breath, deciding on what her final answer would amount to. And then, with very little inner conflict, she let her slender body float down to the rocks. The wind rushed past her body, squeezing it in a comforting hug as she rapidly fell down, down to where she could join Chloe, the only person who ever mattered much to her. The birds chirping and wind pulsing seemed to fade into silence as all that matters was the result of this endeavor. Becca felt her head reeling as the ground rushed closer and closer towards her.

And with a squish and crack she hit the rocks and almost immediately jerked her body upward.

Becca looked around, sweat cascading down her face and chest, to make sure it had all been a bad dream.

"You okay?" A melodic and familiar voice chimed. Becca snapped her head towards the voice. Chloe was sitting up in her hospital bed, staring at Beca. "Another nightmare?" Becca only nodded. "What about?" Becca didn't respond. She shifted uncomfortably, feeling Chloe's deep, dark blue eyes trying to dissect the problem. She would continue to do this eye examination until she received an answer. Becca rolled her eyes, turning away.

"Nothing baby, go back to sleep."

"I could say the same for you. I've been getting 10 hours a night, you're the one who keeps waking up." Chloe pushed her hand towards Becca's, intertwining their fingers. "Now what's wrong baby."

"You died." Becca stated, bluntly, avoiding Chloe's stare. "Car accident...and everybody was trying to comfort me, but I couldn't handle it.."

"Again, Bec." Chloe cocked her head, 'tsk'ing in sorrow and pity. Becca had been having these dreams lately and it only made the current situation worse.

"I can't help it. I feel guilty as fuck, Chloe." Becca admitted, popping her neck in an attempt to make herself feel a bit better.

"Why do you feel guilty? What happened to me wasn't your fault." Chloe protested, feeling a bit defensive.

"Yes it was. The police said it was a hate crime. They wouldn't hate you if you weren't dating a chick." Becca rolled her eyes, turning a shoulder to Chloe with remorse. Chloe offered a weak smile. She knew of Becca's guilt. Two weeks ago, a group of four girls from Chloe's apartments beat her up pretty badly right outside her door, knifing "Gingerfag" into the door. They left her there for hours before Becca found her after school. The whole thing only made Becca weary.

"I was into girls before you came along, Becca." Chloe reassured her girlfriend, trying everything she could do to comfort her ailing girlfriend.

"Yeah, but nobody beat you up for it." Becca whispered, taking in Chloe's condition. "Look at you..." She closed her eyes, unable to bear the site of Chloe so broken, cuts and gashes littering the ginger's body. Parts of her were wrapped in casting, parts in bandages, parts left untouched and only treated with antibiotic...it was a nightmare for Becca.

"Yeah, but they did push me around and slash my tires. They've done plenty. It's not the fact that I'm dating you, Becca. They hated me before they knew which team I batted for." Chloe giggled, rolling her eyes, but Becca's guilt seemed unphased. "You know what, I don't think you feel bad about what they did to me. I think you're upset because we can't have sex right now." Chloe teased, winking at Becca who couldn't help, but smile at that comment.

"Half true." Becca laughed. "Pretty sure orgasms are good for healing bones, though."

"I'm not allowed to move, remember? And by what I remember there's no easy way to be fucked by you and stay perfectly still." Chloe smiled as Becca leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. "I wish there were though.." Becca smiled, but it quickly faded.

"You know, that dream was the most real thing I've ever experienced in my life...but there was one part that was off." Becca mentioned. Chloe looked at Becca in wonder.

"What?"

"The memory of me telling you that as long as my pupils were dilated, I would be in love with you." Chloe grinned, giggling.

"You dreamt of that?"

"Yeah...it was really weird considering the rest of the nightmare." Becca sighed, putting her hand on Chloe's.

"It's okay, Becca, it's all okay. None of that will ever happen. I'm not going anywhere." Chloe whispered.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The two sealed the deal with another kiss, only being interrupted by a nurse entering. Both girls cleared their throats, straightening out.

"You don't have to pretend nothing happened every time I walk in you know." The nurse laughed. "I see couples kissing all the time, doesn't matter what orientation." She rolled her eyes, looking on her clipboard for some information. "How're you feeling today?"

"The constant headaches went away. I have some relief now. And most of the smaller cuts don't burn anymore." Chloe replied as the nurse scrawled everything on to the paper on the clipboard.

"Mhm..I see. And how are you psychologically?" The nurse inquired, her eyes flashing to Becca for a split second before returning to Chloe.

"Fine! I know these things happen. It was only a matter of time." Chloe replied, prompting Becca to shift uncomfortably.

"You alright?" The nurse asked Becca, who promptly nodded. "Look, I'm no psychiatrist, I only know a few things from close friends in the field. I do know that sometimes the side effects of hate crimes take a few weeks to set in. And it doesn't just affect the victim. I highly encourage you both to see a therapist when you get out, Mrs. Beale. In the meantime, it's nearing four o'clock I need to go give your parents a call." Nurse Andrea finished, exiting the room. Becca looked down.

"Great."

"It's going to be fine, Be-"

"God, Chloe how can you act like everything's okay?" Becca said, a bit agitated. "Some bitches beat the shit outta you and you say it's all okay. You're parents already think I'm to blame for 'turning' you and they're visiting you today. They probably think I made the girls hurt you, too. Like that won't end in a steel cage fight..." She trailed off, feeling her own emotions lose control a bit.

"I didn't say everything is okay. I said it will be, Becca, WILL be. Everything has to end up that way or it isn't the end. Yes, I'm aware of what happened, I'm aware it was awful. I'm the one having nightmares that I can't wake up from and fearing going back to my home. I'm the one who had to sit there and endure them hitting me over and over no matter how much I begged. You yelling at me isn't helping. You're the only one I need right now, please don't be against me..." Chloe could feel Becca's eyes un-moving from hers and she kept the gaze strong, passionate. She needed Becca to understand that she was the most important thing right then.

"Okay." Becca finally breathed. "I'm sorry, Chlo. I just get so worried about you that I get angry and..."

"I know, Becca, I know, but remember what I literally just promised you. I'm not going anywhere. Nobody can take this away."